Star Crossed
by hiphopchica7
Summary: Rose Tyler and John Smith. Romeo and Juliet. What happens when these two actors stop acting, and instead start feeling? Will these star-crossed lovers make it to the other side? Alternate Universe. AU-Actors
1. What's in a Name?

**Hey, I don't own Doctor Who. Also, it's my birthday tomorrow, so if you wanna get me something, I'd appreciate a review ;) **

**AU story where both Rose and The Doctor are actors that meet under unusual circumstances. It's truly confusion at first sight.**

**Photo Credits to Parodies Lost. (Etsy)**

* * *

Rose walked into class, the same class she had been attending for 6 months, hoping more experience and training would get her hired. In 6 months, most of her acting friends came and went, finding jobs and careers and moving out of this city that seemed to hate her. She scraped by enough each month at her day job as a waitress to pay for her class and her flat, as long as she never turned on the lights. Sunday through Friday, she was an ordinary waitress at Glen's, a 60's themed diner with checkered floors and chocolate milkshakes. She wasn't complaining, the boss was nice, she got Saturdays off, and most people were decent tippers, but that's not where she wanted to be. On Saturdays, she was Rose Tyler, the actress. She loved the thrill, the script, the rude directors. And despite the 6 months of classes she had been paying for, she had only gotten 2 jobs. Girl #1 and Mail woman. Both one-liners, but hey, it was work. One day though, she'd have a name. Well, two. One for herself, and one in the play. But could one day hurry up a bit?

She expected class to be the same as always. A few newbies, a few regulars, an improv. warm up, some tips and tricks, and a mini-script. Could that have been further from the truth. She had arrived 5 minutes late because of her bus, so she missed introductions and walked in when they were pairing up for their improv. activity. She hoped she didn't get stuck with Betsy. Extremely sweet girl, but she couldn't think quick on her feet for the life of her. Improv. with Betsy was a very...quiet experience. She put her bag down by the door and rushed up to the stage. Looking around, it seemed that the only person left was a tall fellow with very fluffy hair and soulful eyes. New kid. She walked up to him.

"Sorry, bus was late." She stuck out her hand and he took it. "Rose Tyler, pleasure."

He looked so familiar. Maybe he had stopped by the restaurant one day. "John, John Smith." He smiled, and she noticed speckles of freckles on his cheeks.

The teacher of the class, Ms. Lynda, stood up and clapped her hands. "Okay, today we're going to do a new activity. Every sentence must start with a new letter of the alphabet, in order from A-Z. Once you get to Z, go backwards from Z-A and then we'll move on. The setting is beach. Go." Groups immediately began to talk, and Lynda walked around and observed, making comments as necessary.

"Awful time to be wearing a suit, the day we end up at the beach."

"Believe me, I know. Couldn't they have picked a better place?"

Lynda walked past them and nodded in approval, and they ended up finishing first.

"I am offended," declared John.

"Why's that?" asked Rose, already liking John Smith. He was good and they made a strong partnership for acting.

"You insulted my suit three times in that dialogue."

"It's 7:30 on Saturday and you're at a beginners acting class. Why wear a suit?"

"I think I look nice."

Rose rolled her eyes, but dismissed his statement. "New to acting?"

"Me? No, I...dabble a bit, here and there."

"You're good, you must get a lot of jobs in this blasted city."

"Not a lot, per say, but some. Any luck in this 'blasted city?'"

"Mail woman and Girl #1."

"That's it?!"

"Thanks." she replied sarcastically.

"No! I meant you're that good and you've had two no names?

"You're funny."

He was about to argue that he was being serious when Ms. Lynda started to speak. "Okay, short dialogues, grab a script from the pile and I'll assign roles based on what I saw in improv. Today is a children's story, 'The Three Little Pigs'. Group 1: Shelly- Pig #1, Marcus- Pig #2, John- Pig #3, Rose- Big Bad Wolf. Your group may start. Group 2:..."

They split into their groups and read lines a few times before performing in front of the other groups. After, they had talked about acting until time was up. Rose grabbed her bag and started to walk out the door when someone grabbed her arm.

"Rose, wait up!"_  
_

It was John. Ugh. In the beginning, she had thought he was cute and sweet and down to earth, but when he corrected her for the third time on her lines and acting skills, she felt the need to slap him across the face. Crap, she was turning into her mother.

She huffed. "What?" Not concealing the bitterness in her voice.

"I was just wondering, umm," He rubbed his neck awkwardly, "do you want to get some lunch or something?"

"Sorry, busy, got important things to do. Bye."

"Oh, see you next week right?"

No reply. He sighed. He had never been so nervous around a girl. Ever. Period. He was John Smith for crying out loud! Famous actor, wanted by every movie producer in the UK, named 'Sexiest Man Alive!' And he just got rejected. He'd win her over somehow. He had to.

* * *

How dare he? Who does he think he is?

_Flashback:_

"And I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!Those pigs won't know what hit them! I'll try a million times if I have to! I-"

"It's actually 'I'll try to ruin them a trillion times if I need to.'"

"What?"

"Your lines, um, you messed them up."

"Kay." She was fine with being corrected, normally by a teacher or mentor, but slight line corrections from another student was a bit rude. She didn't change the plot line or anything! He's new, just shake it off.

"What do we do? The wolf is going to eat us! My straw house won't hold up against her!"

"We'll flee to my house, it's made of sticks so it'll hold up better!" said the second pig.

"Wait till she starts to huff and puff, then we'll run out the back!" exclaimed the third.

"I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I-"

"Go!"

The three actors ran to the other side of Rose.

"Blow your house down!" She let out a whooshing sound and turned around. "There's no escaping the Bad Wolf!"

The scene finished, and John walked up to her. "Try acting with more anger, use real stuff." She rolled her eyes and marched away, and, him not taking the hint, called, "Yeah, like that!"

The third time it happened, she was sick of him and his 'too good for you' shit.

_End Flashback._

Some people were just so...rude! She almost decided to ditch next week so she wouldn't have to see him again, but she needed a job more than she needed distance from John Smith.

She unlocked the door of her flat, remembering to keep the lights off, and walked over to the windows, letting in the mid-day sun. She flopped onto the couch and looked over to that stack of mini-scripts she'd collected, adding her newest one on top. She sighed. What if she was a waitress for the rest of her life? What if she never got her big break? No. Something'll come up. It had to.

* * *

"Hey Glen."

"Afternoon Rose. Ready for your shift?"

"Lemmie just grab my apron and wash my hands."

"Okay hun."

She walked around to her tables, serving her usual customers. An elderly couple from Glasgow, a few teenagers from the nearby high school, a tall woman who sat in the back, and her favorite customer, Jack. He came in every Monday and Thursday and was definitely a charmer. He preferred to be called 'Captain,' but Rose refused to call him that.

"Rosie! How's my favorite waitress?"

"Good, thanks. What can I get you today?"

"Other than you?" She shook her head and smiled at his usual response. "I'm actually meeting someone here, so I'll wait for him before I order, thanks."

She smiled and left, scrubbing counters and placing orders on the rack. After a few minutes of idleness, she heard the front bell ring and saw someone seat himself next to Jack.

"Welcome to Glen's, what can I get for y-oh." She crinkled her nose in slight disgust when none other than John Smith sat before her, grinning.

"Hello Rose Tyler. I thought you said we couldn't get lunch." His cheeky grin got (impossibly) bigger. She didn't know what she had done to get this much bad luck. Ignoring him, she turned to Jack.

"What can I get for you today?"

He raised his left eyebrow, but answered her question. "Fish and chips, and a tall vanilla milkshake."

"And you?" Not meeting his eyes, instead looking at her pad of paper.

"Same, but oohhh! Can I get a banana milkshake instead?" he asked excitedly.

"Vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry only."

He frowned, then took a moment to think. "Chocolate, thanks."

As she walked away, she could hear Jack talking to John. "How'd'ya know Rosie?"

"She's in my acting class."

"Why do you go to those anyways? You could get any job you wanted, yet you decide to join a beginner's acting class?"

"Can always be better."

Jack sighed. "Why does she hate you?"

Rose smirked.

"She doesn't hate me!" He defended, and she could practically hear Jack roll his eyes as she walked across the room.

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing!"

"Wrong answer, try again. Rose isn't a very irrational girl, she wouldn't hate you unless you did something stupid. Think." He replied smoothly.

"Ummmm, introductions, script stuff, I gave her a few corrections, I asked her out for lunch but she was busy, then we left. Separately."

"So you insulted her acting skills then asked her out? If I was her I'd be confused and mad, and on Rose, that's a dangerous combination." Jack had only ever talked to her in the restaurant, but sometimes he stayed late to help her sweep or comfort her over something that was bothering her, and they'd become fairly close. She was like a little sister to him.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

The bell that someone's food was ready rang, and Rose walked over to pick it up. Jack spot on with her emotions.

"2 fish and chips, 1 vanilla and 1 chocolate milkshake. Will that be all?"

John was looking everywhere but her, obviously left a bit speechless by this new tidbit of information.

"No, that's all for now Rosie." said Jack, and she smiled and went back to work.

The rest of the week passed normally, the only oddity being that Jack didn't come by like he always did on Thursday.

* * *

Thursday 7:00 PM

"I really like her Jack! What do I do?"

"How about not insult her?"

"I wasn't trying to, I was just trying to help! But I think I've figured out why I like her."

"Hmm?"

"She doesn't care that I'm in whole bunch of movies or I'm famous or whatever, she just cares about who I am as a person! Most people treat me all weird and are really shy around me, but not her. She's still all feisty and brilliant and-"

"Sexy?"

"Yes. No! As a friend. I just wanna be friends. Well..."

Jack, getting bored with the same conversation they'd been having for 5 days, walked over to the open kitchen. Jack and John lived in a small apartment they had shared since college. It was a rather nice place, as Jack's parents had been fairly well off and paid for the place until they could do it themselves. They'd been best friends for as long as they could remember, and although getting on each other's nerves a lot, were extremely close.

"Here's what you do. Apologize, be friends for a few weeks, ask her out, shag her. But don't hurt her John, she's been through a lot and if you put her through any more I will not hesitate putting my fist through your face."

"I'm not going to 'shag' her, as you so kindly put it! I want to be friends! F-R-I-E-N-D-S! Stop...corrupting me Jack!

* * *

The next morning in class, Rose stood on the opposite side of the room as John, no matter where he moved. Ms. Lynda clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Before class starts, I have an announcement. I'm co-directing a play and I'd like you all to try out. Auditions are tomorrow at 9 AM, here, rehearsals being held here also. We're doing **Romeo and Juliet**, and it's paying work, so I suggest you all at least come to the auditions. Let's do simple improv. today-"

Rose's head was buzzing. There were auditions for a paying play and the director knew and liked her. Breathe. She was sure to be cast with at least a small part then, based on the feedback Ms. Lynda had been giving her for a while. A few lines was all she wanted. Rose was ecstatic; it had been a while since her last job, but now nothing could bring her down. Except maybe...

"Rose! I just want to, um, apologize for the way I acted yesterday. I guess I'm just a little used to people treating me like a 'mentor.'"

"Why would they treat you like a mentor?"

"Because I'm John Smith, I guess."

She wracked her brain, trying to think of reasons that name would sound familiar. Oh! John Smith, famous recent actor? She'd heard of him, but never seen any of his movies. She had just thought it was a common name and ignored the coincidence.

"Doesn't mean you're better than them."

"That's what I'm saying!"

She narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing in a tiny acting class?"

"Good experience, plus I'm a bigger fan of live acting than TV or movies. Live in the moment, act in the moment, you know? I still love it, but there's something about the stage."

She just blinked a few times. How confusing was he? First he was suave, then he was rude, then he asked her out, then he apologized, then he turned into the famous actor who didn't think he was a royal. She didn't know what to think. She was mad, relieved, confused, and a bit turned on. She decided it would be so much easier to just hate the guy instead of decoding all of these feelings.

After class ended, she started to walk to the bus stop, only to be stopped by a voice she was getting used to hearing.

"Rose! Are you," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "Are you busy today? We could go and get something to eat, as friends of course."

"Busy, things to do and such."

"Well maybe I'll see you around. At Glen's, you work there right?"

"I've got to go, bus to catch."

"Okay, see you next week."

John nearly smacked his forehead. He was acting so foolish! She obviously still didn't like him very much, if at all, and it probably didn't help that he could barely speak in coherent sentences around her. He used to have so much self control, so much dignity! If someone didn't like him, he got over it! Most women threw themselves at him, but Rose Tyler was certainly not average. Ugh! He had only seen her three times, he practically knew nothing about her, and yet he was so infatuated! He had to go and fall for the one that hated him. He'd change that, he was determined. Either that, or she'd change him.

* * *

She called her work around noon to ask if she could come in late the next day, just in case the auditions went longer than normal. After getting an A-OK, she opened her window and put the kettle on for tea. John Smith. Man of every woman's dreams. More like nightmares. Why couldn't he just make sense? What did he want from her? To be friends, more than friends, her 'mentor', enemy? Right now, she just wanted to be strangers. Was he going to be at the audition? Probably not, he had movies to star in and autographs to sign. Others could be intimidated by him, but _he_ would be intimidated by _her_. Nobody messes with a Tyler. Jimmy learned the hard way. 4th time he hit her, she hit back. Harder. Pained her to say it took that long for her to realize how much of a git he was, but she never saw him again. Turned out Rose Tyler had a killer right hook.**  
**

* * *

The next day she woke up at 6 to get ready. She tried on three different outfits, and ended up choosing a light pink blouse and black pants. She applied a heavy dose of mascara, then fixed her hair and a cup of tea, along with toast. She had to leave her place at 8 to get to the bus stop on time, and after finishing her breakfast, had a good 15 minutes left. She went over her rules of an audition again:

1. Stand tall and confident  
2. Stay calm  
3. Act freely and expressively  
4. Smile  
5. Find your happy place

Rose put her dishes in the sink and toed on her shoes, grabbing her keys and bag and locking the door behind her. She was jittery the entire bus ride, as she always was before an audition. She got there 10 minutes before 9 AM and waited outside the locked door of the familiar theater. In the next few minutes, 18 or 19 other actors and actresses joined her, all of them huddled around the door. At 8:59, John showed up, immediately spotted Rose. and walked towards her.

"Hey."

"Oh, hi."

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Just remember to stay calm and have fun, and it'll come easily. You'll be fine, just act like you do in class. Auditions aren't that bad."

She looked at him for a few moments. Did he really think this was her first audition and she needed his support? How did he think she got her other (2) jobs? Was he thick or what? She rolled her eyes.

_I bet I just said something wrong again_, John Smith thought.

"I'm guessing the answer you were looking for was more along the lines of, 'Good luck,' am I right?"

"This isn't my first audition. I don't need to be 'mentored' by the great and powerful John Smith. Thanks."

"Sorry?"

She rolled her eyes again and turned on her heel, walking through the doors as they opened.

* * *

Ms. Lynda came in and told them they would start calling people at 9:15, and to take a packet from the left bin and put it in the right when it was filled out. At 9:10, Rose looked around. There were about 30 or 40 people here and a cast of 20, so half of them were going to be cut. She recognized a few people from class, but many were unknown. She wanted some part in the play, either with one line or three, she would be happy. She thought Lady Capulet would be a nice role for her, as she could cry on command, or Nurse, who, although didn't have much of a name, had plenty of speaking parts. Although it was doubtful, maybe she'd get a part where it would take longer than 2 minutes to learn her lines, if she did get a part at all. She sighed. Being overly hopeful, what good did that do anyone? She finished her sheet and turned it into the bin. Five long and anxious minutes later, a man she didn't recognize grabbed the stack and told them to wait a tick. He came back a few moments later, his hands empty.

"Thank you for coming and being so patient, one of our directors was running late. We're going to split you into groups and give you scripts and parts, then have you perform. From what we see, some of you will go home now, while the others will stay and have private auditions. We'll assess everyone equally, then email you a cast list once we've come to a decision. Now, follow me."

Rose followed the rest of the group into the familiar room where 5 men and women (4 women and the man from outside), were sitting at a table facing the stage.

"Welcome, when I call your name, please collect your script from me and start with your group.  
Group 1: Harry Jones-Alexander, John Smith-Detective Marcus, Erica Todd-Detective Ella, Donna Noble-Felicia, Rose Tyler-Julia..."

They split into their groups and practiced the short script given to them. The parts were all fairly equal, and the lines were easy and few for all of them, so most of the group had it memorized.

"Group 1, onstage, Groups 2-5, please sit in the seats behind us quietly Ready? Scene start."

"There's been a murder here, and no one had any idea who it was. Not even you, Felicia?" John spoke with clarity and preciseness, starting the scene off strong.

"You'd think a detective, of all people," said Rose, "would notice the clues that lead us to the carpet. The culprit was you Detective Ella! The proof is in the pearls!"

"What pearls?" Ella demanded.

"The ones in your left trench coat pocket!"

A startled gasp from the others ended the scene, and the 5 at the table scribbled on their pages.

"Group 2."

All of the groups performed the same play, and then they were sent out.

_This is a really intense audition_, Rose thought. _Thought it was just a small play. _She walked over to a group of girls.

"I can't believe this might actually be performed at the Art and Stage Convention!" One girl squealed.

"Huh?" Rose asked.

"Oh," said one girl with long black hair, "a talent manager from the Arts Center will be here opening night deciding if the cast gets to perform in the annual show. Exciting, isn't it?"

The fears that had disappeared when she had stepped onstage a half hour ago rediscovered themselves back in the pit of her stomach.

The man came back in and read out a list of 6 names. "...Philip Longworth. Thank you for your time, you are dismissed, please try again next time though."

He waited for them to gather their things and exit, then continued, "The rest of you, follow me."

Ms. Lynda stood up this time and smiled at them. "Hello everyone. All of you are going to get an individual chance to read lines from Romeo and Juliet for us, and then we'll make our decision and mail the cast list to the emails you provided us with on your forms. We're going to go in alphabetical order, and we hope to get the last of you out of her by 11:30. We apologize for the length auditions, but as directors, we need this to be a phenomenal show to have a chance. Mary Antolin, you'll be up first, the rest of you may wait in the room outside. Mary, please go to page 22 and read for Montague's wife first."

Rose was so happy she wasn't out the first round. That was good. Good, good, good. Despite never having read Shakespeare, she would act as accordingly as possible. Angry was still angry no matter the time period. A few minutes later, the first girl came back out and told some guy with a C- last name to go in. Rose Tyler. This was going to take a while.

* * *

**Hope you liked, updates will most likely be Saturdays. **


	2. A Rose by Any Other Name

**Hello all, Just a reminder that the rating HAS BEEN UPPED TO M for cuss words and future chapters. **

**In other news, I'm pissed. I was asked to write a script, and I did, and then the person I wrote it for decided that instead of giving credit to "A" they would put their own name on it. That's a bit of the reason this is a couple hours late, I had lost faith in the internet for a day. But I'm back now, so don't fear.  
**

**In case I don't update by Halloween, Happy Halloween! (I'm going as a TARDIS and my costume is crying that it wants to be sewed. So far, I'm doing a good job of ignoring it.)**

**Enjoy, mi amigos.**

* * *

Rose Tyler. This was going to take a while.

* * *

John Smith. Might be a long wait. He walked over to where Rose was sitting against the wall with her eyes closed and sat next to her. She didn't notice he was there, so he just enjoyed the comfortable silence. It was better than saying something wrong. After a while, she turned her head and yelped in surprise. After she calmed her breathing she spoke. "What?" she asked, her tone irritated.

"Hello." She looked at him for a moment, then closed her eyes and put her head back against the wall. "I was wondering if we could start over. Completely. Strangers again."

"Strangers, huh?"

"Yeah," John said.

"Okay," he smiled, "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Goodbye!"

Rose knew she was being obnoxious and bratty, and she really shouldn't be this rude, but the audition and her growing loathe for John Smith clouded her judgement.

"That's not what I meant," he said, frowning.

"Hmm."

They sat in silence for a while, her eyes closed, ignoring him, and him glaring at her, wondering how to get on her good side again.

Fine. If she was going to hate him, he would hate her back. Enemies. Sworn enemies. He'd never had a sworn enemy before, this was exciting! No, no, angering. Very, very angering. What did enemies do to each other again? Glare - he had that down, Yell - something to work on, umm... he'd do some research after the audition. If they were going to be enemies, then he was going to be the best worst enemy ever. Who was she to dislike him because of his awkwardness? She was probably just jealous he was famous.

"John Smith." The voice dug him out of his daydreams and he stood to walk into the room for his audition. Why was he auditioning for a small play when he had recently been offered starring roles in three movies? Because he loved the stage and the Art and Stage Convention could get him into the right business, the business he loved. Not autographs and fangirls, but standing ovations and play-lovers.

That, and Shakespeare. Oh, he was brilliant. That brilliant, genius of a man. What he would to do meet that man. He'd read every single piece of his work twice (at least) and was fascinated with him.

He finished his audition after reading for Capulet, Mercutio, Samson, and, of course, Romeo, and he thought he did fairly well.

"Rose Tyler." He spoke the words with disgust, as he thought an enemy would, and gave her a disapproving look as she walked past him and into her own audition.

* * *

She walked into the room, breathed deeply, and smiled.

"Hello, please read for Nurse on page 24, starting with 'Marry, farewell!' and go on until the end of the passage.

Rose cleared her throat. "Marry, farewell! I pray you, sir, what saucy merchant was this, that was so full of his ropery?"

"Go to page three and read for Lady Capulet."

She flipped through the pages and found the line. "A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?"

"And lastly, read for Juliet on page 21, starting with 'O Romeo.'"

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

"Thank you, please check your email within the next 48 hours for the cast list and schedule. Call in Pete Veralda next, and then you can leave."

All of the directors had their poker faced on, (except one, a blonde woman who had a scowl on her face and was obviously doing nothing to hide it,) so it was hard to tell what they thought. She hoped she would make it.

"Pete Veralda," she called to the room, and he made his way up to her. "Break a leg," she whispered fondly as he passed her into the room.

"Thanks."

Rose gathered her things and walked to her bus stop. She tried to put the audition out of her mind as she grabbed her things from her house and hurried off to work, trying to get there on time despite calling in late. Just in case she didn't make it, the extra hours would be nice.

"Hey Glen."

"Thought you were going to be late, some audition?"

"Finished earlier than I thought."

"How'd it go?" Glen had been waiting just as long as Rose for her to get a job, and often joked as being her number one fan.

"Well, I think. Most of the directors had their usual 'You-won't-know-until-we-email-you" faces, but one woman just had pure distaste on her face. I didn't think I was _that_ bad,"

"Just jealous of your stunning skills. The ones that include serving customers." Glen said with a wink.

"Sorry!" Rose exclaimed, tying her apron behind her back quickly.

She turned around and saw the man that made her frown walk in and sit on her side of the room.

She calmly walked over and handed him a menu, reading off the specials.

"I'd like a burger with chips please, and a water." John said with a sweet smile, then handed her the menu. She glared at him for a moment before grabbing it from his hands and stalking away.

He had looked up worst enemies online when he got home from his audition, and he could now check 'infiltrate enemy territory' off his list. War strategy website were helpful for small battles too apparently.

* * *

The next day, she got home from work, exhausted. It was a busy day, and she was tired from staying up late checking her computer. She walked over to the dreaded metal box that hadn't given her any good (or bad) news yet. She pressed the power button and used the bathroom as she waited for the outdated computer to turn on. She came back, and there was a box on the screen.

"You've got mail!"

Rose held her breath and clicked the box, crossing her fingers as her eyes scanned the right hand column for the name 'Rose Tyler'. Then, she found it.

"Rose Tyler."

She squealed, not even looking at who she was playing, and burst from her chair. After a few calming breaths, (and a dash around the room), she sat back down in her seat and traced her name to her character.

"Rose Tyler," she murmured, trailing her finger across the dots on her screen. "Juliet Capulet."

She froze, her eyes wide, a grin spreading itself across her face. She couldn't stop the happy tears from falling and she didn't really want to. Maybe, if everything worked out at the Art and Stage Convention (Oh God that was a lot of pressure, and she screamed at her mind to let her have this moment), then maybe she would have herself a career.

Juliet. She was Juliet. Wonder who Romeo was? She hoped it was that handsome guy with the nice red hair. She searched the left hand column, looking for Romeo. Ah, there it was. "Romeo...John Smith." She blinked a couple of times at her screen. "Well, so much for ignoring him." Despite the obvious flaw, she was still as ecstatic as ever. Maybe he wasn't so bad after time. Or maybe he was. Either way, he wasn't going to get in the way of her having a great time and good career.

"Ju-li-et." She played with the name on her tongue, then checked the schedule.

Mondays 6-9 PM  
Wednesdays 6-9 PM  
Fridays 1-5 PM  
Saturdays 1-6 PM  
Sundays 1-5 PM

She would have to talk to Glen. Her pay was at the bottom of the schedule and she squealed again. Lights! She could have lights! There was absolutely no way John Smith was going to ruin this for her. She was going to act, have fun, and get paid. And that was that.

* * *

Rose Tyler. Sworn enemy (Of 24 hours. If he was being honest with himself, he was being quite dramatic, but she started it, goddammit!). Is Juliet. Because that's the way the world works, doesn't it?

Actually, he could have some fun with this. More time to annoy her if he was around her all the time. Oh, this was going to be good.

* * *

**Wednesday 5:55 PM**

"Rose."

"John."

They walked into class and sat on opposite sides of the room.

"So," said Donna, a feisty red-head who played Nurse and had met Rose at the audition and liked her right away, "You excited to be playing Juliet?"

"I feel like my insides are just gonna spill over onto the floor any second."

"In a good way?"

"In a great way.

A blonde haired woman made her way over to them. "Hey, Donna."

"Hey Astrid, this is Rose, and, you know, vise versa."

"Hello! Are you Juliet? You lucky duck! I mean lines and being the star and everything, but have you _seen_ Romeo?"

She raised her eyebrows appreciatively and Rose couldn't help but snort at the same time Donna said, "Spaceman?"

"Spaceman?" Rose asked.

"Have you seen him? Head in the clouds, all the time. No wonder he can't keep any of his thoughts inside his brain, there isn't enough room with all that daydreaming!"

"Do you two go way back?"

"What, no. Just met him at the audition."

Rose gave an inquisitive look to Astrid, who just shrugged.

-O-

On the other side of the room, John was talking to Adam and Mickey, but obviously not enjoying it. In his opinion, Adam would do anything to get ahead in life and Mickey was a little bit of an idiot. He would really rather just talk to Ro-ichard. Richard. Certainly not Rose, unless it was to bug her. Obviously.

-O-

When everyone had arrived, one of the women from the other day stood up and introduced herself. "Hello everyone, I'm Miss Sarah Jane Smith, welcome to our production of Romeo and Juliet. Today we're going to discuss the play and it's performances and go over all of the parts and characters for those of us who have not read it before. Please pick up your scripts and come to the stage."

All of them quickly stood and received their scripts, and wandered about the stage, choosing and sitting in seats in a large circle. As if by sheer (bad) luck, the only two seats left were next to each other, and the only two people standing were John and Rose.

"C'mon then, sit. We haven't got all day! Firstly," she started as they sat as far away from each other as the small space allowed, "performance dates have not been set, as we are waiting for the A&S agent to find time for us; we'll let you know as soon as we do. Next, props and scenery should start coming in after next week, as it's being made by Timmy and he's on vacation. Costume measurements will be made Friday..."

By the time they had finished with everything, it was already 8:45.

"I'm gonna let you pack up and go early today, because we don't have time to start anything right now. Bring something to write with Friday."

People started to pack their things and head out the door, but Rose stayed behind.

"Miss Sarah Jane?" Rose said, "it's raining outside and my bus comes at 9:10, do you think I could stay here, just until 9 when you leave, maybe? Sorry I-"

"That's fine. I'll be here until 9:30 anyways, so stay as long as you need as long as you don't go around breaking things."

"Thank you!" She took a seat in one of the higher rows of the audience and read over lines.

John wanted to give her a ride, or at least drive her to the bus stop, but he knew any attempts of help would be promptly declined. Plus, enemies probably didn't do that. Sighing, he rushed out into the rain and into his car.

* * *

**Friday 1:02**

"Alright," a director she recognized for the audition said. "I'm Martha, I'm blocking today. We're going to go mostly in order, so we're starting at the top of page one. Anyone who isn't in Act 1 – Scene 1 should sit quietly and go over lines. Those who are in the scene, that includes Extras 1-3 too, need to grab their scripts and a pencil, and meet me onstage. Let's go."

This pretty much left Rose, Count Paris, Mercutio, Donna, and an extra. She decided to run lines with Donna.

They ran lines for twenty minutes, and then Donna struck up a normal conversation. "So," she said, "have you read through the entire script yet?"

"I haven't had time. You?"

"Read it last night. Good luck."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's an awful lot of lines for you, and you snog Spaceman like, 20 times."

"The lines I can do. I've always wanted lines. But Spaceman? Yugh."

"Are you not friends with him? I haven't seen you two talk, I should introduce you-"

"No, we've met." Rose said, with distaste.

"I'm sensing a hint of disapproval."

"We didn't really….get off on the right foot."

"He didn't or you didn't?"

"Him."

"What'd he say?"

Rose explained, and by the end, Donna was laughing. "What are you laughing at?"

"It's just….Don't get mad at me or anything…but I think you're only mad at him because he doesn't know how to communicate with you."

"What do you mean?"

"In the short time I've known him, I've been _this _close to slapping him like forty times."

"Tell me about it."

"But after a while, I've figured out that he literally says everything on his mind. All the time. When he corrected you, I'm guessing he probably wanted some way to talk to you. If you couldn't tell, he's completely smitten with you."

"He's really not."

"I'll bet you a fiver he's looking at you right now." Donna skimmed the stage and saw John looking at Rose until she glanced at him and he turned his attention to his script.

"Told ya'." They both said at the same time.

"He wasn't looking at me!"

"He was until you looked at him. Anyways, he really didn't mean any harm by it. You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

Rose was still looking at John. "Let's go over our lines again."

Easily remembering the short interjections in-between Donna's lengthy dialogue, she blurred out what 'Nurse' was saying and started daydreaming about being onstage.

"Earth to Rose! You're almost as bad Spaceman, I swear. Your line!"

"Oh, right, sorry. 'And stint thou too…'"

Another slow 20 minutes later, Scene 3 was onstage. She grabbed her pencil and stood onstage with Donna, Astrid, and a short woman she hadn't learned the name of yet.

"Alright, write stage directions on your script as we go. Rose, Katie, offstage left until ques. Donna, Astrid, downstage right. Switch places. Good. Juliet, enter and stand to the left of them. Stay there for the rest of your lines. Katie, step out to stage left, say your lines, leave stage left. Everyone else exit stage left after that. Okay, walk through it and then try it with lines."

They finished blocking Act 1, and Martha decided to run through it one for time to add more details like head and arm gestures that should be in place.

They get to Scene 5 and Rose's (along with everyone else's) script had writing scribbled all over it's margins. She stumbled over her feet a few times when she was dancing in the background, and the fourth time she ended up falling to the ground.

"Rose," says Martha, "homework. Learn to dance!" She blushes and stands up, getting back to the waltz with Mickey.

"Bit clumsy, aren't ya?" he said, a playful tone in his voice.

"I'm gonna have to do it in a dress too!" She whispered back.

He laughed quietly and smiled, neither noticing the glare that's staring them in the back. Donna does though.

All too soon she's away from Mickey and back with John. She's supposed to be completely still and is trying hard not to laugh when John kisses just to the left of her lips both times he's supposed to kiss her on the lips. She gives him a look that says, 'What are you doing?' and either he doesn't notice or ignores her.

"You can get away with that now, but as soon as we start full-play run throughs, you're doing that for real!" Martha yells. They finish the scene and everyone packs up to go home.

"John, come here a moment." Martha calls, and Rose's eyes betray her and watch them, even though she _obviously_ doesn't care. He looks awkward and is blushing while she talks, the he rubs his neck and walks away, his cheeks still red.

She grabs her bag and starts heading out, but can't pass up an opportunity to make fun of John about not kissing her on the lips. "You missed, Romeo," she calls over her shoulder as she passes him. His cheeks turn a shade darker as she walks out the door.

"Hey John, "says Mickey, "Umm...why are you so...pink?"

"Oh, nothing." He cheeks reddened again. "Just something someone said."

"Anyways, I was wondering if you had Rose's number."

"No, why?"John said, his voice a tad harsher than needed, but neither of them noticed.

"Just wanted to give her a call and see if she wanted to get a pizza or something."

"No."

"What?" John didn't think he'd said that out loud, and flushed yet again.

"I meant...I don't have her number. Well see you later ol' pal." John said, swiftly walking out the door. Was he...jealous? I mean, he _used _to think Rose was nice, (beautiful, smart, funny...), but she had shown her true colors. Either way, he had never been jealous before! This play was getting to him. He needed some sleep...and some tea.

* * *

Rose woke up early to help at Glen's before getting to work. Ha! She could call it work! Brilliant! In was part of the arrangement so she could still work enough hours to get full pay.

"So," said Cassie, a teenage employee said, "how's the play going?"

"Good so far, thanks."

"How handsome is Romeo?" She asked, a teasing nature in her voice.

"Um, he's...okay...I guess."

"Wait, I thought he was the guy Jack brought in. He was foxy!"

"Only on the outside."

"Too bad you have to fall in love with him."

"Who says I'm in love with him?" Rose asked, shock and...panic maybe?...in her voice.

"In the play, Rose. Romeo and Juliet?"

"Oh, right, yeah." Despite hating him, she really liked him. John that is. If that made any sense. She needed some tea. Strong tea.

* * *

**12:58 PM**

"Where do you think everyone else is?" He asked her, startled because it was only the two of them there.

"No idea. Wonder who's going to teach today. It's a new person every time."

Ms. Lynda walked in, answering some of their questions.

"Ah, great, everyone's here." Looking at their confused faces, she continued. "Did you guys not know that Saturdays are just the two of you? Team building, specific scenes, et-cetera? I swore I put that on the email."

They both shook their heads.

"Anyways, let's get started."

-O-

John was laying on his back, sprawled over Rose.

"Oomph!"

They had tumbled to the ground when John had leaned backwards for her to catch.

"For a scrawny bloke," she said, "you're awful heavy."

He stood up and pulled Rose with him.

"Still didn't have to drop me." he grumbled, under his breath.

"I'm almost positive I broke most of your fall."

Ms. Lynda pinched the bride of her nose. Why couldn't the two of them get along?

"Okay," Ms. Lynda said, trying to change topics, "have either of you read over everything yet?"

"Just skimmed."

"I didn't have time to read over anything more than Act 1."

"Well if you _had_ you would have noticed that some parts are taken out as well as put in. For example, instead of four kisses, there are ten, the wedding scene is included, extra's parts are taken out, etc. We really wanted this to be more of a love story than a tragedy. Well, either that, or make the tragedy twice as hard on the audience. With that being said, let's go to the extension of the balcony scene and read over it."

After reading their lines, they both looked back at Ms. Lynda with startled expressions and wide eyes.

"Well?" she said.

"It was...um..." John coughed.

"Intense?" Rose suggested.

"...yeah."

"Adds some passion and chemistry to the relationship, don't you think?"

"You could say that, yeah."

The scene was just a bit...graphic. Nothing more than PG-13, but still. I mean, it's not like the other movies John had been in steered away from this, there was some passionate snogging filmed before, just not...with Rose. Because he hated her...yeah, that's why it was different. They looked towards each other, but eyes quickly skittered away.

The rest of the rehearsal went by with less awkwardness. Going over how certain soon-to-be props would work, a few blocking notes, character analysis, etc.

"Well, we're out of time. See you both tomorrow."

Rose looked outside and saw lightning striking the sky.

"Ms. Lynda, my bus won't be here for another 15, is there any way I could stay here until then?"

"Sorry, I have to leave...three minutes ago. I apologize, but you two need to leave now."

Rose sighed and put her bag over her shoulder, stepping out into the downpour. A few moments later, John joined her from inside, grabbed her hand, and whispered one word in her ear.

"Run."

He knew enemies or whatever didn't do this but he didn't think hypothermia would be a good look for her. Friends or not.

"Where are we going?" she shouted over the sound of the storm.

"The TARDIS."

"The what?"

"My car."

They got to the blue vehicle and he nearly shoved her in before getting in on the driver's side.

"So, Ms. Tyler, where can I take you?"

"It's fine really, you don't have to drive me anywhere." She started to get out of the car, and he ended up panicking and quickly turned the key and started driving. Albeit slowly, but fast enough that she would jump out of the now moving car.

"John." She said, her tone annoyed.

"Rose." He mimicked in the same tone.

Giving up, she gave him (fairly) accurate directions, telling him to drop her off on the better side of her town. She was a bit ashamed of her shitty flat, especially because he was probably fairly well off.

He stopped the car and she got out, starting the long trek towards her building. The 'TARDIS", as he put it, hadn't moved. Lighting cracked the sky and she jumped, picking up her pace. After she passes two buildings, he heard a car pull up beside her.

"Get in." John said from the open car window. "Directions to your actual address please."

Reluctantly driven in by the storm, she got in, a slightly guilty look across her face. This time he stopped right in front of her building, not even the smallest look of disgust or approval on his face.

"Thank you." She said, not just for the car ride, but for not looking down on her once he saw where she lived.

He smiled. "Anytime." and waited for her to enter the building before driving away.

The barriers both of them had put up to control themselves were quickly dissolving.

While Rose's mantra had turned into, "Corrections, confusing, rude, rude, rude," John's had become, "Don't. Like. Rose."

Neither were working very well.

* * *

**Pssst! Hey! Guest reviewer! You know who you are! Master of all things my silly little brain decided to ignore! Encyclopedia of awesome! (In case you couldn't tell, I'm buttering you up because I need a beta and you seem to be knowledged. (Which isn't a word.) )  
**

**Please leave a review, it would warm my soul. **


	3. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

**I don't own Doctor Who.  
****Thanks to Em Kay Who for being my fabulous beta.  
****Also, this chapter was a bitch to write. I have no idea why, but my brain just nope-d. **

* * *

**Sunday 1:00**

"We'll finish blocking Act 2 today," said a blond woman who introduced herself as Reinette. The woman who had an obvious distaste for Rose if she could remember correctly from the audition. Reinette immediately had the sole attention of most of the guys in the room, including John. She looked up at the ceiling. _Good for him. You never liked him anyways._

They were running over the balcony scene when Rose swore steam was about to come out of her ears. SHE had kissed him instead! As in, swooped in at the last second, grabbed his lapels, and full on snogged him, two inches from her face! In the middle of rehearsal! Better yet, she was the only one who had seen! She surveyed the room to gauge everyone else's reactions, and NO ONE WAS LOOKING.

About 7 seconds into the kiss, Rose decided she'd had enough. "Umm..." she said, hoping they'd notice the interruption to their loooonnggg kiss.

"Oh, I was just showing you how it's done, in case you had never stage kissed someone. You know, passionately."

Rose squinted her eyes. Either she just implied she had never snogged someone or that she had little stage experience. Rose didn't like either of those options.

Reinette licked her lips and turned on her heel, acting as if the kiss meant nothing. Rose knew her kind and it probably didn't. John, on the other hand, was left a bit glazed over and was swaying on his feet.

She clicked her fingers in his face. "Earth to John?"

"Hmmm...right...oh, hello."

"Line?"

A voice from offstage saved him from the humility of not remembering it. "End scene!"

-O-

He thinks he might ask her out. Reinette that is, of course. At the end of the day, everyone else files out, except John. And Rose, but she's grabbing her bag and heading towards the door, so she probably won't even hear.

"Problem, John?" Reinette asks, bringing his focus to her face, not too far from his, and away from the blank space on the wall he had been staring at before. It was weird, he didn't have that same...nervousness?...he had with Rose, but that was a good thing. Who would want to go out with someone that gave them butterflies all the time?

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner, tonight maybe?"

"Louis!"

"No, I'm Joh-" He turned around and saw a fairly muscular (okay, twice as tall and twice as wide as himself) bloke walk up to Reinette, giving her a passionate kiss that at least had some affect on her, before turning back to him.

"Louis, this is John. John, my boyfriend, Louis."

"Ah."

"Well, we've got to go, and since I lock up, you've got to go too."

"Well, bye." He hurried out the door, not wanting a punch in the face from this Louis guy, not knowing how much he heard.

He sighed, knowing that it would have only been a distraction from Rose. How had this silly human girl infiltrated his mind so quickly? Why'd Reinette kiss him anyways? She could have been only doing it for the play, but that seemed highly unlikely. Now that he thought about it, when she pulled back from the kiss she had looked at Rose, not him. Smugly, he might add. There were only two options. Either Reinette didn't like Rose, or Rose liked him. He decided that the latter shouldn't even count as an option, so he tried to find a 'why' for the former. Not that it was any of his buisness. Or that he cared. Well he did, really, but those thoughts were for a different time.

* * *

Rose was walking out when she heard it. She really didn't know why (she really did) it hurt her so much. She still hated him (Not so much anymore.) She was so invested in her thoughts that she didn't see or hear the large man step past her and into the building. What's it called when you can't stand to be around someone so much that it's slowly driving you mad to be away from them? (Looovee.) Suprisingly, the stupid little voice in her head sounded a lot like Jack. She thought alcohol would do the trick (To the one in her head of course, sober Jack was already inhibition free, she couldn't even imagine him drunk.) And oh look, it's 5:00 here.

She stopped down at the pub near her house after getting off the bus. She scanned the room for anyone she recognized and was surprised to see Mickey from class. She sat down next to him.

"Ello."

"Rose! What're you doing here?"

"Long day of rehearsal, decided I needed a drink. What about you?"

"Game."

They made small talk for a short while, but after only getting monosyllabic reactions from her, she couldn't be disappointed when he turned away from her and towards the game. She ordered another drink and saw John enter the pub out of the corner of her eye. Alone.

Did everybody go to this bar? It was like a rehearsal party in here!

She ducked her head so he couldn't see her, and he unknowingly took the seat next to hers.

"Banana daiquiri, please."

She had trouble holding in a giggle at that, but he still didn't seem to notice her. She was facing Mickey, who was facing the game, so she could see why.

The bartender spoke. "Woman problems?"

"How'd you know?"

"I'm a bartender. You're either an alcoholic, a party-goer, have relationship problems, or have had a long day. Been in the business 20 years, I've learned to tell the difference."

"Hmm."

Rose was confused. Not at the bartender, that seemed to make sense, but at how John was acting. Reinette had seemed to like him. Although, now that she thought about it, she had looked at her after the kiss instead of him with an - evil ?- glint in her eyes. She'd seen this before. One of her old "friends" used to try and get back at her by dating the guy she liked. Rose never minded too much, she was Tyler, but the boys really didn't like being used. Poor kids. Although, what had she done to Reinette?

Rose was about to make her appearance when they spoke again.

"Penny for your thoughts?" said the bartender.

"She kissed me, but she has a boyfriend, so she might have been using me although I don't know what for, and I don't even care!"

"You sure look like you care."

"I don't care about her. I care that she was just some bloody distraction. So I guess I used her too."

"A distraction from what?" the bartender prodded, obviously interested in this wibbly-wobbly story.

"From the girl I might actually maybe like. But I hate her. Or I'm supposed to."

"Sounds like you've got it bad."

"I wouldn't say bad, we're more like-"

He finally noticed that Rose had swiveled around in her chair and was looking at him with wide eyes.

Was he talking about _her_? No, no, he couldn't be. It had to be someone else. Someone else he hated but then actually liked. After the audition there had been nothing but tension (seexxuall tennnssioon) between them.

They stared at each other for a while, debating their options. The bartender, figuring things out, quietly slipped far enough away to give them some space, but close enough that he could still hear.

He looked over her shoulder, and he followed his field of vision to Mickey.

"You have a date then?" he asked, a tightness in his voice.

"No, I ran into him here," she responded a bit too quickly for it to be casual, and mentally swore at herself.

He made a weird noise in the back of his throat that was somehow the equivalent of a nod.

Feeling that awkward tension again, she called over the bartender and hurriedly paid for her drinks.

"I've..um...got to go. Bye."

She turned to Mickey and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You leaving?"

"Yeah, I've got work in the morning."

"We should meet up again sometime. If you want I mean."

"That'd be nice." She scrawled her number on a napkin before rushing past John and out of the pub. He had the oddest look on his face.

* * *

Monday through Friday passed fairly normally. They had gone back to their regular loathing for each other, rehearsed and blocked the rest of the play (minus the new added scenes that were just them and so far, just plain awkward.) She didn't see Jack at the restaurant (although she did work some weird hours now), and John still talked Jack's ear off about his "hate" for her most of the time.

Saturday came, and the pair reluctantly traveled to class. Hello five hours of crazy. They hadn't really gone over many of their scenes during the week to try and get things to move quicker and then finish them on Saturday made things less awkward for them during the week, but twice as nerve-wrecking now.

Rose sighed. It didn't mean anything. It really didn't. He was probably talking about someone completely different. I mean, he was John Smith, I'm sure a lot of people didn't like a movie star that wasn't self absorbed, was named the sexiest man alive, and was in a whole bunch of new movies. What's to like?

John was thinking. She probably didn't know he meant her. She wouldn't have given her number to Mickey of she did. Or maybe that's why she did. A nice-ish way of rejecting him? Or maybe she just liked Mickey as a friend. Mickey obviously liked her more than that, but maybe Rose didn't know that.

Oh, who was she kidding, she was infatuated.

'Infatuated,' the little voice (that sounded a bit like Jack) said. He had never been infatuated with someone before.

* * *

Both of them almost jumped at the sight of each other.

"John," she said, a little less anger and annoyance in her voice than before.

"Rose," he acknowledged, trying desperately to keep the happiness from seeing her out of his voice.

They walked in side by side, just a teeny bit closer than they had the last time. Ms. Lynda looked up from her papers when she saw them. "Let's get started," she instructed.

Rose muttered under her breath, "Please, anything but-"

"Trust exercises!"

Rose rolled her eyes and John had to hold in a chuckle.

"Today we're going to do mental trust instead of physical, like the trust fall. So take out your pencils and I'll hand you pieces of paper to write on. Sit on the stage."

She waited for them to get their things and sit.

"Ready? Okay, don't show each other your papers, and write down one word answers to these questions.

"Number one, favorite animal. Number two, saddest moment. Number three, biggest fear. Number four, Thing you're most proud of. Number five, biggest mistake. Now Rose, ask John a question that he'll write down the answer to, then vise versa. Then we'll do some actual work and come back to this at the end."

Rose thought for a moment, then decided to be brave. "Who were you talking about?"

He met her eyes with a reluctant glare, then wrote something down on his paper.

"Okay John, now you ask a question."

"Why do you care?"

The same glare was thrown back his way and Ms. Lynda was thoroughly confused.

"Okay...papers down, time for some of the scenes we've been putting off."

* * *

"Okay Romeo, start climbing the balcony when she starts saying 'Thou know'st the mash of night...,' and then when she finished her speech you kiss her - feel free to elaborate on that - and then hold each other until the Nurse calls from inside. When you hear that, you descend back down the balcony."

It took him a few tries to get his footing right on the unfinished prop, so they had to start over a couple times, but both parties were kind of okay with that, because it procrastinated the inevitable. The third party, however, was not.

"Let's get a move on! We've got lots to do!"

He finally managed to get up the seven foot scaling and balcony without falling or swearing. He stood in front of her while she finished her spiel, and when she did they stood there for a moment, just listening to each other breathe. He regained some train of thought and remember he had to kiss her, but for the life of him he couldn't get his legs or arms or body to move. A cough from below sparked him into action.

He took a step forward and put his hand lightly on her cheek, bringing her closer until their mouths were touching. It was soft, hesitant at first, but it just felt so right and before he had realized what he was doing he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, her hands pushing through his hair and resting between his shoulder blades. Neither knew who opened their mouth first and neither objected. Eventually, though, they both ran out of air and hesitantly pulled back and looked into each others eyes. Both pairs were as dark and excited as they hoped them to be, hers just a bit more...golden.

He cleared his throat. "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear..."

They finished the scene and Ms. Lynda looked like she was about to explode any second.

"The chemistry! I loved it! KEEP. IT. THAT. WAY. Brilliant! We are absolutely getting invited to the convention!" She was squealing like a little kid, and the two actor felt part-pride, part-bashfulness, part-_ahem_-arousal.

Ms. Lynda finally composed herself. "Onto the other scenes then."

With about 45 minutes of class left, they had finished blocking the rest of their scenes.

"Okay, time to finish the trust exercise. Get your papers."

Rose had been wondering what the point of the exercise had been, and it looked like she was about to get some answers.

"Super easy, just switch notebooks."

"Umm, what?"

"Switch notebooks and write response or questions. Then we'll switch back and write back a few more times. It's like being inside the other person's head for a minute, stepping into their skin. It helps build trust and openness with the other person. Now papers please." Ms. Lynda looked at Rose with her palm outstretched.

"But that stuff is personal!"

"That's kind of the point."

Knowing there was no way she was going to win, Rose sighed and handed over her paper, soon getting one in return.

**1. Favorite animal? Horses**

**2. Saddest moment? Fire**

**3. Biggest fear? Alone**

**4. Most proud of? Travels**

**5. Biggest mistake? Surviving**

**6. Person I was talking about? You.**

It was in messy handwriting that was hard to read, but she figured out how to decipher it after a while.

"Now write responses or questions." said Ms. Lynda.

**1. What's the best name for a horse?**

**2. What happened?**

**3. Who'd you lose?**

**4. Where'd you go? What'd you see?**

**5. I'm glad you did.**

**6. Me?**

* * *

John felt like he was violating her privacy. He glanced over at her and saw her writing on his paper. Well then, bombs away.

_1. Favourite animal: Cats_

_2. Saddest moment: Dad_

_3. Biggest fear: Letting go_

_4. Most proud of: Bronze_

_5. Biggest mistake: Jimmy_

_6. Why I care: Because_

Her large loopy handwriting didn't fit her sad sounding words.

_1. Why?_

_2. What happened?_

_3. Of what? (Also, you were only supposed to write one word.)_

_4. In what?_

_5. What happened?_

_6. Good answer._

* * *

"Everybody ready? Switch again."

This was so weird.

And awkward.

And personal.

"Write something longer now. The point of this is to learn more about each other. Your deepest, darkest secrets will bring you closer together."

Rose rolled her eyes, something she had been doing more since this play had started, and answered his questions.

_1. Cats are handsome._

_2. He's gone now._

_3. Shut up and everything._

_4. Jericho Street Junior School Under Sevens Gymnastics Team._

_5. I dropped out of school to go on tour with him, he cheated on me and hit me, I punched him in the nose, came back, and had to restart my whole life._

_6. Thanks._

* * *

He smirked and wrote his own responses.

**1. Arthur**

**2. My home burned.**

**3. Everyone.**

**4. Everywhere, it was great.**

**5.**

**6. Yes, you.**

* * *

"And switch back one more time, and then you can give them back to their original owners and leave."

* * *

_3. I'm sorry, I know how it feels to lose everyone._

_4. Tell me more._

* * *

**1. Ugh. Cat people.**

**5. Sounds fun.**

**6. Dinner, Bad Wolf, 6:00?**

* * *

"Well, we're out of time. I hope you got to know each other better, see you next week, and KEEP THAT SCENE THE SAME!"

Rose blushed and grabbed her stuff, rushing out of the door. Checking her phone on the bus ride back, she saw a new message from an unknown number.

*Hey, it's Mickey*

She added him to her contacts and continued reading.

*Do you wanna get a pizza or smthng 2night?*

Mickey was nice, he really was, but she had a date. With John. She really shouldn't be excited. John was irratating. Mickey was nice. A kiss is just a kiss.

Right?

She put her head in her hands.

It was so much more wasn't it? She hoped so. Ugh! Was she reading too much into this?

Okay, she'll go with John tonight because she doesn't have his number and doesn't want to stand him up. Then, if he was obviously just a good kisser and not a good person then she'd reschedule with Mickey. She felt bad for him, putting Mickey on 'stand-by', but if it worked out with John, she'd set him up with one of her friends. Plus, he was only there because of a...technical difficulty. She wasn't purposely trying to hurt him. She texted back.

*Sorry, busy tonight. Rain check?*

She got an answer almost immediately.

*Sounds good. See you tom.*

Their conversation ended around the same time as her bus ride, so she stepped off and walked a bit quicker than normal to her home. Bad Wolf was fairly close, she'd be able to walk there in about ten minutes. That gave her about 35 minutes to get ready.

She settled on changing into a skirt and a nicer jacket and fixing her make up a bit. After applying another layer of mascara and throwing on her black shawl, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door, locking it behind her. In the end, she had decided on wearing flats because it was a fairly long walk, and by the time she got there she was glad she hadn't donned heels.

6:01. Right on time. She pulled open the glass door and walked over to the pedestal where a very bored looking waiter stood. It wasn't an extremely fancy place, but still nice, and they (luckily) still sold chips if she remembered correctly.

"Reservation?" the man asked.

"Um, John Smith? He might be here already, I think. We were meeting at the restaurant."

"He's here. Follow me."

He walked through the fairly busy restaurant and to a booth near the back.

She slid in across from him. "Hello."

He looked up from his menu and grinned. "Hello."

"Ordering without me?"

"I didn't know if you were coming."

"I was only - 2 minutes late!"

"2 minutes too long."

She blushed at the intense look in his eyes and smiled.

"So what's good here?"

"Steak and chips, that's what I'm having."

"Sounds good to me."

They ordered and sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence.

"So, um."

"Yeah."

'Well this is going great,' Rose thought.

"So what do you do aside from acting?" he asked.

"Work."

"Anything else?"

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I'm busy...a lot. What about you?"

"I travel."

"Oh yeah! You wrote that, I mean. Where've you been?"

"Well I went on this one trip to Raxico, where I found this huge green animal that ended up being an experiment gone wrong from a labaratory that was trying to take over, well, everything. I managed to save the day though."

He puffed out his chest and she giggled. "I was wrong!"

"Hmm?"

"You are full of yourself!"

"Oi!"

"Come off it though, how'd you stop a mutant...thing?"

"8, actually. Had to blow up the place."

"Is this, like, a normal thing for you?"

"Trouble seems to find me."

"Or maybe you seem to find trouble!"

"Quite possibly." She laughed, and it made him smile. He continued, "So where have you traveled?"

"I went on a field trip to France when I was in school. We were supposed to go to the Louvre, but me and my friend Shareen snuck off and ended up getting sent home early. Other than that, I've been in London my whole life."

"We've gotta get you out there, Rose Tyler! We should go to...the Belvoir Castle! I mean, why not? World's Best Tour guide right here!"

"What, like a road trip?"

"Yeah, we could take the TARDIS, no better way to travel."

"I'd love to, I really, really would, but I don't think I have time. With work and -"

"I bet we could get Ms. Lynda to let us take a road trip instead of Saturday rehearsal."

"How?"

"Team building of course. What's a better way to share our deepest darkest secrets than go on a full day road trip?"

"I'm not exactly sure if that would work."

"If I can get her to agree, would you come?"

"As long as we practice lines while we're there. I wouldn't want to completely skip class."

"Sounds good to me."

Their food arrived, and they ate and made small talk. The waiter came back with the check and John emptied his pockets to no avail. He looked sheepishly up at her.

"What sort of a date are you? Come on then tightwad, chips are on me."

-O-

They walked outside where the temperature had severely decreased since Rose had arrived. Rose shivered involuntarily, and John took off his pinstriped armor and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Thanks."

He took her hand and walked her back to his blue car, opening the door on the passenger side.

"Madam."

"Thank you, good sir."

She giggled and stepped into the car. He turned the key and it wheezed a few times before starting. After a few minutes of driving in silence, Rose struck up light conversation.

"Arthur, huh?"

"It's a good name for a horse!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"It is!" he insisted as they pulled up in front of her building. They walked together towards her door.

"I had a really great time tonight."

"Me too, we should do it again, maybe."

"I'd like that. Although it's your turn to pay."

He laughed, and she took the moment to rise up on her tip-toes and kiss him on the cheek.

"See you tomorrow, John."

She unlocked her door and walked into the main room, keeping the lights off as an equivalent for chips and steak. She didn't mind, though. She'd never turn her lights on again if every date was like that. Rose smiled and leaned against the closed door. That was the best date she'd had in a long time.

* * *

**Drop me a review if you enjoyed.  
**(What were you guys for Halloween? I was a TARDIS, of course.)


	4. A Tender Kiss

**I don't own Doctor Who. **

**Props to Em Kay Who for beta-ing**

**Sorry I'm a bit late, I'm sick and I'm addicted to internet.**

**Enjoy!**

**Also, I added some lines that aren't from Romeo and Juliet, so if I disgraced William, please let me know how to fix them and I will. :)**

* * *

**Sunday 12:55**

"Hello!" said Martha. "I'm switching with Reinette this week."

'Thank goodness,' thought Rose.

"I want us to do a couple of scene run-throughs, and then do the entire play from top to finish once. First, let's run through..."

* * *

**The 11 Kisses**

1. "My sin in s purged." I hate being as still as a statue. I can't even kiss him back! At least he didn't miss my mouth this time...

2. Having to freeze on stage is never enjoyable. Having to freeze on stage while being kissed? Even worse.

3. "Which the dark night hath so discovered." There was an almost audible gasp when John, no, Romeo, scooped me in his arms and kissed me so beautifully and passionately and perfectly. We just fit together like two pieces of a puzzle and I just wanted to stay in his arms forever. Eventually, though, my lungs' screams for air overwhelm me and I pull back. Looking around, I'm almost positive everyone's eyes are on us, and, although my ears are still ringing, I can't hear anyone whispering or talking. "Lady by yonder..."

4. "Till holy church incorporate two into one." This one was much more sweet and simple. A wedding kiss. (Less fun though)

5. This was an insert. It's after the wedding, and the Friar has left, and Ms. Lynda explained this to us as 'The kiss of sex'. It's the PG-13 version of us...consummating the marriage and we've never actually done this scene full out. Our only guidelines are: line - wall - line - center stage - line - offstage. Here goes nothing...

"Juliet, my love never strays away from the beauty of thou."

John tilts my head up and captures my lips, but soon hands grab for purchase and I'm backed up into the stage wall. (Which, by the way, is a lot less sturdy than it should be if you're planning on having two people snog against it) For the sake of my dignity, I refrain from moaning too loudly into his mouth when he rolls his tongue over my bottom lip.

6. "Forever with you, I'll stay, if only you hold me close as long as forever lasts." Somehow we had pulled away from the last kiss and made it back away from the wall enough to speak, but I'm pulled back flush up against him and my hands run through his gorgeous hair. I want to stay here forever. I mean, not in front of a whole bunch of people, but he's so warm and I just love...this. God, I think all this kissing is going to my head.

7. "Forever," he whispers back as the last kiss leads us offstage where I grin like...well... him.

8. "One kiss and I'll descend." Not nearly as fun as 5-7, that's for sure.

9. I'm not conscious.

10. He's not conscious

* * *

Martha gave them all a standing ovation at the end of the play, and Rose couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief that they all got through that with minimal error.

"You know what you all messed up on, rehearse those lines. John, can you come here please?"

Donna came up to Rose and whispered, "Looks like you two are starting to get along." She winked. "I had to hold my tongue to keep from yelling 'Get a room.'"

"Oh, shut it Donna."

"Just saying."

They talked for a few moments, and then John came and sat down next to Rose to rehearse the scenes they stumbled on.

"Praise?" she asked with a tongue and tooth touched smile.

"No, well, um, it seems that Martha...fancies me? Perhaps?"

She laughs. "A suitor, huh? Actually, that gives me a great idea, wait here and, um, rehearse lines with yourself."

She ran away, but a few second later she was back. "You don't want to date Martha, do you?" she whispered.

"Not particularly."

"Just checking." And she ran off again.

"Hello, I'm Rose."

Martha laughed. "I know that, what can I help you with?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, I have a personal question."

"Depends on what it is for me to answer, but go ahead, ask away."

"See him, over there." She pointed to Mickey.

"Yeah." She looked a little longer than necessary, which was all the insurance Rose needed.

"Mickey, that's his name, asked me out, but I recently found a really great bloke that's sadly, not him. So, I thought it'd be nice to set him up with one of my friends because I don't want him to feel bad because of me. Except all my friends have boyfriends, so-"

"Are you trying to set me up?"

"Little bit, yeah. First part's true though. Willing? If it's at Glen's I'll be there to save you if you don't like him. He's a sweet guy though."

She took another glance at Mickey. "Okay. Text me a date and time." She wrote down her number and walked away, and Rose smiled.

Skipping back to John, Rose sat down and laughed at his flabbergasted face.

"What did you do?"

"I took care of it, you're welcome."

"How?"

"Set her up with Mickey."

"And she just agreed?"

"Yup, over you like that!" She snapped her fingers and he glared. "What?"

-O-

Class finished, and everyone was packing up.

"I emailed Ms. Lynda last night."

"And?"

"The trust building field trip is on."

"Really?!"

"Really really."

She squealed and grabbed him for a short but bone-crushing hug, and he hugged back willingly.

"Oh! That reminds me!" She entered Martha's number in her phone, then ran over to Mickey, said a few words, hugged him, and gave him the piece of paper with Martha's number on it.

He guessed it went well if the smile on Mickey's face was any hint.

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah, I mean, a little upset because I kind of regret-helped him, but I think they'll make a good pair."

They walked out into the evening air hand in hand, something that felt completely natural for both of them.

"You want a ride home?"

"That'd be nice, ta."

Rose loved this. Whatever 'this' was. It was nice, it was sweet, but it was still passionate, and they hadn't even started dating yet, they hadn't even kissed! Well, I mean they had, but she was Juliet and he was Romeo and it was scripted, not in the spur of the moment like a real kiss. Not saying it wasn't nice, or good, because it was absolutely fantastic, but maybe he didn't know she was thinking of him when she kissed 'Romeo'.

I blame that train of thought for what happened next.

11. John walked her to her door again. "Thanks for driving me home."

"Anytime, it's nice, talking with you I mean. Like there's more time in the car-"

She cut him off with a kiss to his lips, pulling back and slipping inside her flat before he could react, even if he wanted to react. She couldn't help but peek out of her peep hole to gauge his reaction. He stood there for several moments, then grinned and walked away.

* * *

She kissed me! Me! She! Yes! He had to go tell Jack. His mind was whirling as he drove through the streets of London. He hadn't talked to Jack about her in a while, trying to avoid the innuendos by not talking to him about his date.

"And then she kissed me. Oh! And we're going to Belvoir on Saturday."

Jack looked more than a bit shocked.

"So, are you two going out then?"

"I have no idea. And I don't care. But I want to."

"You've got it worse than I thought! Head over heels for her, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

"Wait. You're going to Belvoir?"

"Yeah, the place with the castle? We're going to rehearse lines and stuff. Thought it'd be fun. She's only been to London and to France on a school field trip with Shirley. No, Shareen."

Jack raised his eyebrows appreciatively.

"Been doing your research then?"

"We get a lot of time to talk, it's nice. She's nice. I really like her."

"Good. She's sweet, but if she resembles her mother at all she could slap you into outer space, so watch out."

"Noted." John left to order tickets for that Saturday, and Jack decided to drop by Rose. Last time he'd seen her, she'd been about ready to send him to space.

-O-

Knocking on the door to Glen's right above the 'closed' sign he looked in through the glass and saw Rose sweeping the floor.

"We're closed!" she called.

"It's Jack, need a helping hand?"

She rushed over and opened the door, giving him a hug.

"I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I know, sorry! My question is, why are you here at 9:30 on a Sunday? I was expecting Glen and was going to ask where I could find you."

"I work really weird hours now because of the play. I'm almost done here, we could walk to my flat if you wanted to talk."

"Letting strange men into your house, tsk tsk."

"I've known you forever! I mean, not really, but you're one of the people I trust the most."

"You mean that, Rosie?"

"Course! Alright, I'm done, ready to go?"

"I've got my car, I'll drive you."

She got into the blue car and looked at Jack, confused. "Why do you have John's car?" she asked.

"Mine's at the mechanic's. He hates me driving his ol' girl, but what else am I supposed to do?"

"That still doesn't really explain why."

"Oh, I live with him. Have since college. Did you not know that?"

"Does the shocked look on my face give you any indication that I did?"

"No."

"Glad that's settled. I know this is gonna sound like high school, but does he ever talk about me?"

"Does he ever not talk about you? No offence Rosie, but I'm fed up with you."

She blushed and laughed as she pointed him down the streets towards he building. "Here," she said, and he stopped the car.

-O-

"Tea?" she asked, standing in the kitchen.

"Do you have coffee?"

"Nope, it's tea or bust."

He sighed. "Tea it is, two sugars please."

They sat down on the couch, the only light being the moon in the window and a tiny light by the bathroom that was sitting on the floor.

"So," she started, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Belvoir?" he said, after a few moments of contemplation.

"What?"

"John's taking you to Belvoir?"

"Yeah. Problem?"

"No," he put his hands up in surrender, "just wondering what there is to do there."

"I really don't know. More like a surprise really. John said he'd be my tour guide. I'm excited though. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"No, I just thought I'd start out with something more discreet than 'Have you kissed yet?' or "How was it?" or "How big is he?" But now that the small talk is finished..." he trailed off and Rose stared at him with incredulous eyes.

"Getting a bit personal now, aren't we?"

Jack just leaned forward, obviously looking for an answer.

"Okay then, we've kissed, well, snogged, in the play, but we've only kissed once in 'real life'. I kissed him really quickly and then ran inside, didn't really get to find out how he would have reacted."

"If it helps, he hasn't shut up about you. Never tells me the good stuff though, which is why I'm here. How does he kiss?"

"No drunk encounters then?" she teased. "I pulled back too quickly for him to do anything."

"Yeah, but you've kissed him in the play. I've read the script, I know how steamy it gets. Now spill"

Rose blushed thinking about it.

"That good huh?"

Rose just nodded.

Jack stayed and they talked for another 30 minutes or so before he bid her good night and headed back out to the car. He couldn't help thinking that they were just perfect for each other. Smiling, he opened his apartment door to an angry looking John.

"I was talking to you, I left for five minutes, and when I come back you'd taken my car and left?"

"You weren't using it! I was only gone for.." he looked at his watch, "45 minutes!"

John sighed. "Just ask next time, please."

"Will do, sorry."

"Where'd you go anyways?"

"Rose's place."

His anger came back almost immediately, mixed with jealousy and a bit of..fear...maybe? This combination turned his face and evil shade of red and he clenched his fists.

'Well,' thought Harkness, 'that certainly struck a chord.'

"Why?" John growled. "What did you do?"

Jack backed away as far as the walls of their flat would let him.

"Calm down. I just talked to her. It was even about you! I don't know if that makes things better or worse, but I can honestly tell you she has no interest in me. She's got it just as bad as you!"

"Just... talked?"

"Come on, it's not like I'm gonna listen to my best friend go on and on about how much he likes this girl only to find her and shag her against a wall, now am I?"

"I wouldn't put it past you, and if you ever so much as think about doing something like that..." he trailed off then marched into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

When John and Jack were little, and John got all angry and intense, Jack used to call him the Oncoming Storm because of all the fire and ice in his eyes. The title still stood.

* * *

**Monday 6:30**

Rose awoke to the annoying clang of her alarm clock and pushed herself out of bed. She had to be at Glen's at 7:30 to get enough hours and an early morning shift was kitchen work, something she didn't mind. Rose couldn't cook very well (another thing she got from her mother) but she could make batter if she knew how much of the ingredients to mix together, and she could wash the fruits and vegetables. She grabbed her phone and saw a message from the number she had recently put in as Martha. The text came from yesterday, probably while Jack was over.

Hey, Mickey and I have a lunch date tomorrow at 3. Will u be there?

Rose set down the hairbrush she had been running though her hair to reply.

Yup. See u then!

After changing and eating breakfast, Rose walked to Glen's and unlocked the door. Knowing no one but the delivery man would be there until 11 at least, she turned on the radio and hummed along as she started to getting out everything she needed to make the batter for the fish.

She just finished saran wrapping the large bowl and putting it in the fridge when she heard the back door being knocked on. She opened it to find the man who delivered groceries hidden behind the boxes he was holding.

"Come in. Set them over here so I can reach them please," she istructed, leading him over to a counter. The man set down the boxes and turned to leave, but stopped when he saw her face.

"Rose?"

"Jimmy?"

* * *

**Yup, I'm a horrible person. You're welcome.**


	5. How Fares my Juliet?

**Sorry I'm late! Hope you enjoy!**

**Also, I don't know if I'll be posting next Saturday for obvious reasons, but I'll see if I have time to get a chapter up :)**

**I don't own Doctor Who**

**Big thanks to my Beta: Em Kay Who**

* * *

"Jimmy? What-What are you doing here?"

"I work for the grocery store now."

"Yeah. I see that," she said, slowly backing away from him.

"Rose, I've changed, a lot, since you last saw me. I became a better man."

A simple, "Oh," was all Rose could muster, still not believing him.

"I'm, um, married now." Silence. "I met her on a missionary retreat, I was trying to change and find myself and I found her, and I'm different now. Believe me, Rosie. I've changed."

"Don't call me that," she choked out. "Please."

"Rose," Jimmy sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for all that I did to you, all that I put you through." He took a timid step forward. "I was careless and stupid and horrible and... I'm sorry."

Rose looked up from the tiled floor and tried to control her emotions.

"You broke me," she finally breathed out. "You got me to drop out of school and I loved you. You slept around while I was with you and I still loved you." Her voice rose. "You hit me, and yet I still loved you. Finally you hit me hard enough to rattle my brains and I though maybe, just maybe, that that, whatever that was, wasn't what love was supposed to feel like. All of the shit that I had to put up with, that maybe that wasn't in a normal relationship. But you had already beat me Jimmy, you had already won. Because you made me love you enough to let you break me. And now you're sorry? You may be a completely different man, but all I can see is the coward who used his power to break me, to completely and utterly destroy me. Please..." She stopped her anger and resolve and starting sobbing. "Please, just, get out."

Jimmy looked at her and then bowed his head. "I don't blame you one bit."

He left and shut the back door behind him, and Rose crumbled to the ground and sobbed for a while. Eventually she picked herself up, fixed her make up in the bathroom mirror, and started putting away the groceries, trying to keep her mind off Jimmy as much as possible and failing.

By the time Glen and the cook came in at 11:40, Rose was put together well enough to give off the same appearance physically and mentally to look and act the way she did normally. 3:00 came, and she saw Mickey come in.

"Hey Mickey."

"Rose! Do you work here or are you chaperoning?"

"Both maybe?" She laughed, and it was a bit more hollow than normal. "Table for two over here then."

Mickey followed her and sat down.

"So did you set us up or did she actually want to talk to me?"

"Does it matter? You guys are just are just so cute together."

"Why'd you set me up wif' someone else if...it's John isn't it?"

Martha picked that time to come in and join them, sliding across from Mickey. "What are we talking about then?"

"Just the specials. Today's are ha-"

"Rose is gettin' off with John Smith!" supplied Mickey.

"No way! You totally hated him!"

"That's what I'm saying!

Rose put her head in her hands. "Look! I'm not 'getting off', as you delicately put it, with anyone! Now, the specials are ham and gri-"

"Really?" said Martha, "You guys would actually be cute together. Maybe I'll have to set you two up to repay you for this."

"Stop meddling with my love life! I'll be back when you're ready to order." Today was going to be a long day.

"Wait!" cried Mickey, "What are today's specials?"

* * *

**6:00 PM**

"Hello," John greeted Rose at the door to rehearsal. "How was your day?"

"Mmph," wad her only reply.

Before he could ask her what was wrong, the morning teacher, Rory Williams, started talking. They both really liked Rory, he was sweet and kind and extremely dedicated to anything he got into. He was training to be a nurse, and had recently gotten a girlfriend called Amy, who was red headed and feisty and often sat in on rehearsals.

"Today we have the costumes and some of the scenery, so we'll probably be working through everything the whole time. Timmy is here to do alterations, so I need everyone to grab all of their costumes. We're going to send the girls into the front room to change and the boys on the stage behind the curtains, and then you can meet Timmy in front of the curtain if the costumes don't fit. If they do, change into your next costume or change back to normal clothes, and then just be patient."

Everyone looked through the rack of clothes for the costumes with their names on it, some having one, others several, until the rack was empty and people standing in their respectful rooms.

-O-

"Ugh, tights," Adam complained, holding up the red stockings in front of him.

"Well, period wear has it's ups and downs," John said, eyeing his own blue attire.

It was fairly silent until an unknown person started singing, "We're men, we're men in tights!" from Robin Hood, followed by the others joining in.

On the other side of the wall, the girls were snickering.

"Oh, I can't wait to see this," Donna, who was attempting to lace up Rose's dress, said.

"Mmhmm," Rose agreed. Donna finished and turned around so Rose could do up hers.

"Bloody Shakespeare. Should've lived in the 21st century so we could wear jeans."

"Tell me about it."

After what felt like a forever of needlework, everyone's costumes fit correctly. They worked on moving, working with, and acting around the props that were there, and everyone was a bit sweaty from trying to quickly and quietly get the balcony on and off stage. Finally, time was up and everyone was completely exhausted.

"Good work everyone, go home and rest!" called Rory as they all headed out the door.

Rose and John walked back to the TARDIS hand in hand and sat in silence on the car ride to Rose's place, as had become routine. Finally, John broke the unusual silence.

"Is everything alright? This morning you seem a-"

Rose couldn't help the sob she choked out. Since it was closer, he quickly drove her back his apartment, lead her inside, and sat her down on the soft couch in the living room.

"I'm gonna make you a cuppa, okay?"

Jack had joined the pair by this time, and sat down next to Rose, putting an arm around her. "Honey, what's wrong?" She stayed still for a few moments.

"Jimmy's back," she finally whispered, before he enveloped her in a hug as John got back with the tea.

"Jimmy," he mouthed over Rose's head, unable push down the anger that boiled within him. How dare he come back? If he hurt her again, he swore he would...

John remembered the little Rose had told him about Jimmy in their notebooks, and how he immediately loathed him. He wished he knew the whole story.

Jack obviously understood what he was thinking and mouthed "She'll tell you when she's ready," before standing and making his way back to his room, wanting to give the couple privacy.

He set their tea on the table and took Jack's spot next to Rose. He held her and whispered words in languages he didn't remember the meanings to into her hair until she calmed.

"Thank you," Rose whispered.

"You okay?"

"Much better now, thanks to you."

They continued to hold each other for a while, enjoying the other's presence.

Suddenly, Rose bolted up from where she had recently been tangled.

"I have to go to work!"

John was worried. "Rose, are you sure you're fin-"

"I'm fine now, I think, I promise."

"No stopping you?"

"Nope."

"Well then I might as well drive you. Do you need to stop at your place first?"

"No, you can just drop me off there."

-O-

When they got there, instead of pulling up front, he parked and got out with her.

"What're you doing?"

"Staying, do you mind?"

"No, not at all." She smiled at him. "Thanks again."

Pulling her closer to him and putting an arm around her, he kissed the top of her head.

"Anytime."

He helped her sweep for a while, then getting bored and finding the radio, switched it on. He was about to go grab his broom again when he saw Rose's hand extended towards him.

"Hmm?" he said.

"Come on, the world doesn't end when John Smith dances."

He stood up and attempted to do some sort of dance. After failing miserably, he looked sheepishly up at Rose. She was glad she had practiced dancing for her "homework" and looked up all those Youtube videos, as he needed a lot of work.

"You'll find your feet at the end of your legs. You may care to move them."

"I swore I knew how to dance!" he said, stepping away and grabbing his broom. They continued sweeping until a while later when the song changed to Glenn Miller.

"Rose!" he exclaimed, "I've just remembered!"

"What?"

"I can dance!"

Moving quickly, he spun her around the counters and across the checkered floors, finally finishing with a dip. He held her close for a few moments before slowly, tentatively, leaning closer and pressing his lips against hers. They melted into the open mouthed kiss, savoring each moment. They pulled back and leaned their foreheads together, looking into each other's eyes. He kissed her nose then pulled back completely to grab his broom. They finished soon, and Rose sat down at a booth. A bit confused, but following her anyways, he sat down across from her.

She spoke. "You know, in the notebook, I wrote my biggest mistake was Jimmy?"

"Yeah."

"I met him when I was in secondary school. I was young, I was stupid, and I thought I was in love. So he got me to drop out of school to travel with him and his band. They were gonna be big. I thought they were, at least, and I was ecstatic that he wanted me. He was 20 and I was blinded by what I thought was maturity and caring and somehow I stopped caring that he slept around because he told me he loved me. I hated anyone who told me he was just using me, including my Mum. So I had run away with him and I turned out to be less than enough for Jimmy. And he didn't waste any time in telling me, or showing me. I have a scar, on my shoulder, from when he got too rough while he was high, but I still cared for him too much to stop him. Finally, something in me snapped. Turned out it was a broken rib," she tried to joke, but it came out dry and neither of them laughed. "I got up and told him I was done. And then I hit him square across the jaw because I knew he wouldn't have let me leave. So I ran back home and got my rib fixed and started over.

"And then, this morning, I opened the door for the guy who delivers groceries and it was him. It was Jimmy."

"Rose, did he hurt you?"

"No, no. He's just...back...but he says he's changed and I want to believe him, but I can't, I just can't, because-"

He got up and sat next to her. "You don't have to like him after all he did to you."

"But now he's married and appearantly not-bad..."

"He doesn't deserve a second chance."

She looked up at him with a furrowed brow. "Everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone."

John looked at the girl next to him and saw eyes that accepted anyone, no matter what they'd done. He smiled, he'd always wanted a second chance, just never allowed himself to have one. Maybe she would.

* * *

**Wednesday 6:00**

"Hello," John greeted.

"Hello," replied Rose.

"You been doing okay?"

"I'm fine," she nudged his shoulder playfully, "stop worrying. How've you been?"

"Better now."

"Oh, shut it."

They sat down in class and were greeted by Sarah Jane.

"You two seem to be in better spirits than last week."

"Hmm, you're right," said John. "We'll have to fix that. Rose, your shoes are ugly."

"Oi! Don't knock on my shoes! What's wrong with them?"

"They aren't as cool as mine!" He held up converse covered feet.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Why'd I even ask?" said Sarah Jane. "Okay," she addressed the group, "The play opens officially 3 weeks from now. Check your emails if you already haven't for detailed hours and dates, as I don't remember. I heard we got costumes and most of set, so I want us to run through scene by scene to make sure nothing gets in the way and you all get familiar with the changes. Guys, make sure you do NOT step on the women's dresses. Girls, don't step on your own dresses. Act 1 scene 1, costumes!

Despite the vigorous online research she had done on dancing, Rose Tyler never read anything about not tripping over her own dress. Feet? Yes. Dress? No! Sitting on the floor for the fourth time in the last 15 minutes, she realized she was going to need to do some more research. John extended his hand to help her up and she took it.

"Ow, thanks."

"Clumsy, you are."

"I just need practice dancing around a person and a dress."

"Well now that I've remembered how to dance, I'd be happy to help, if you want."

"Like a stand-in Mickey? Nah, you'd never live up to that."

Mickey grinned when he heard from across the room, John didn't.

"Oi!"

"Joking! Yeah, that sounds nice."

"What time do you have work tomorrow?"

"7:30-12:00 in the morning, and 7:00-9:00 at night. But I'll be busy in the morning shift, I make the batter."

"Is Jimmy going to be there again?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"Well then I'll come with you, I'll help you mix, we'll finish in half the time, and we can dance."

"You really don't have to do that, I'll be fine."

"Well then I'm coming because I need you to teach me how to stir."

"What?"

"Yup, I'm horrible at it, always making a right mess."

She smiled. "You're fantastic, did you know that?"

"It may have crossed my mind once or twice."

* * *

**Thursday 7:30 AM**

She saw him when she was two blocks away, leaning against the door of Glen's with his hands in his pockets.

"Morning," he called as she got closer.

"Good morning," she replied, opening the door and handing him the keys to lock it behind them. "How long have you been here?"

"Not too long."

She walked into the kitchen and washed her hands, motioning for him to do the same when he joined her in the back. While she pulled out all the ingredients for the fish stick batter, he sat on a counter and watched her with a smile on his face, noticing how she flit about the room with ease. It took her a few minutes to measure the right amounts into the large bowl in front of her, then pulled out a whisk and held it out to him.

"Didn't I tell you yesterday I make a mess?"

"You also told me you wanted to learn and you're going to help. Plus, it's not like I'm going to leave you unsupervised on your first go, what kind of teacher would that make me? I'll gonna put away the ingredients and help you if you need me. Now go on!"

He hesitantly grabbed the end of the whisk and stuck it in the bowl, almost immediately rocketing it from side to side violently. A yelp and a small pair of hands ceased his movements.

"No wonder you always make a mess!" She moved his hands slower around the bowl in small circles. "There." She let go and he almost complained at the loss of contact. Almost.

"This takes so much longer though."

"Yeah but at least I won't have to clean most of it up off of the floor."

She put away the ingredients they no longer needed while he stirred, leaving out the ones they needed for other batters.

8:30 and the knocking on the door came to quickly for Rose's liking, but before she could head for the door, John had already opened it.

"Hello, groceries, yes, put them there. That all? Good. See you."

John had Jimmy in and out in about 7 seconds. Rose just blinked. Once her mind and body caught up to the rest of the universe, she squealed and ran towards John, hugging him tightly.

"I have no idea, absolutely no idea, how you did that, but thank you!"

She pushed herself up on he tip toes to give her a quick kiss, but before she could pull back his hand was on the back of her head, holding her in place. It was a kiss that said both "Thank you," and "You're welcome," but soon the small talk was over and they broke away, both a little bit flushed.

"So what's next?" asked John, his voice a little higher than normal.

"Put away groceries, wipe tables, dance."

"Sounds good to me."

At 9:15, Rose went and got changed into a long skirt she brought that was the same length as her dress from the show.

"Okay," she stated, "I got this."

"Just kick up your skirt a little every time you take a step, and, if all else fails, just drag your feet the entire time."

She ended up doing the latter, literally gliding across the floor, this time, though, the standing to sitting ratio was a lot higher.

-O-

Jack was looking through the window when Glen and the cook showed up. After wondering where John had gone at 7:00 AM in his pinstripes instead of his running gear, Jack had decided to follow him. Realizing it was pretty useless considering he was car-less, he had decided to take a casual stroll through the city and heard music from inside when he passed Glen's. Looking through the window, he smiled as he saw them dancing.

"Jack," Glen greeted, familiar with the regular customer (and sexual partner... once). "You know we don't open until-"

"Shh!" Jack hushed, and moved aside so they could both look.

"Who is that?" the cook asked.

"John Smith," answered Jack.

"The John Smith? What's he doing here? Shouldn't he be filming a movie or something?"

"No, he's more into plays. That's why he's here, he plays Romeo for-"

"Isn't Rose Juliet?" Glen interrupted.

"Yeah, and I-"

"They're so cute!"

Unnoticed by either of them, the cook had taken out his phone and snapped a picture of the dancing couple.

Glen unlocked the door, startling the pair.

Time had flown fast. Like super fast. All of a sudden it was 11:40 and Glen was walking in, followed by a smirking chef and..Jack? They had jumped away from each other by now.

"Jack?" they said, simultaneously.

"So," Glen casually started, "Who's your bloke?"

"He's not um...this is John Smith. John, this is Glen."

"Nice to meet you." He stuck his hand out and she ignored it, instead leaving to hang up her coat. John put his hands in his pockets.

"So Rose, how's work going?"

"We finished everything early, so-"

"We?" She was giving her friend a hard time, she honestly didn't care as long as he kept his hands clean, but this was much more fun.

"Yeah, he helped out cause Jimmy is the new delivery boy, so-"

"Jimmy? Like Jimmy Jimmy?"

"Yeah, Jimmy Jimmy. He wasn't..bad..it was just uncomfortable, you know?"

"If I was you, I probably would have been crying on the floor."

"I was, for a while."

They sat down to continue their convorsation and the cook went to the kitchen. John turned to Jack, "What," he yell whispered, "Are you doing here?"

"I was on a walk-"

"Sure."

"No, it's true. In the morning I was going to follow you, but I was a little car-less and lost you. So I took a walk, honest, and when I saw you two I was going to come in, but I thought I might interrupt, so when I saw Glen I decided to just stay. Plus you guys were just adorable."

John growled a little at his best friend, but stood up straight when he heard Rose clear her throat from behind him.

"See," he started, "There's a perfectly good explanation for why I-"

"Growled?"

"Uhm, animal noises?" he tried, "Meow, woof, goes with the rest of them, you know."

Rose just laughed and ignored his stupid excuse. "Okay, I have my shift soon, are you gonna go?" she asked John.

"Yeah, I have meetings with my agent on Thursdays. Mostly, it's her going on about how I should be in the paper more and auditions for movies I don't want to be in. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, have fun!"

Neither really knowing what to do, since they didn't know how they other felt about public displays of affection, ended up giving each other an awkward high five and went their separate ways. Jack just rolled his eyes.

* * *

**This chapter was a bit more 9, but I love him too much to care ;)**


	6. This Bud of Love

**How was your Thansgivikah? More importantly how was your 50th Anniversary Saturday? I wasn't too amused by mine.  
Thanks to my Beta, Em Kay Who!  
In other news, I have a tumblr now! Check me out at captainofthewhoniverse . tumblr . com I don't have much yet, but I'm working on it. Enjoy the chapter :)**

* * *

**Friday 12:58**

"Hello," greeted John as he walked in, his eyes focused solely on Rose.

"He-" Rose started.

"Hello," Reinette finished.

Rose's smile faded a bit, but her cheerfulness stayed in place. He went and sat down next to her, much to Reinette's distaste.

"How was your meeting?"

"Same old same old, just trying to see how famous we can make me."

"Oh, shut it."

"I mean, look at what a mess I am! Only starring in a couple of hit movies, a few magazine mentions every week, named sexiest man alive," he winked at her, and she blushed. "She has a right to be angry!"

Rose pushed his shoulder, smiling all the while. She did a horrible impression of a New York agent. "Listen, doll, we need you in at least three movies a week and I won't let you retire until you hit board game status."

Through his laughter he responded, "Board game status?"

"Yeah, you get a little plastic piece with your face on it and it goes around the board and…saves the world!"

"That's a lot of pressure on a piece of plastic."

"Well that's the price it'll have to pay for getting to board game status."

"Okay," said Reinette, drawing all of their attention back to the class. "Today…"

-O-

Rose was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Reinette had worked them hard, and Rose was ready for a good cup of tea and then…work. That sounds…nice. She was about to head out with John when Reinette called him back. "I'll be right back."

"I'm gonna go wait by the car. Fresh air sounds really great about now."

"Just don't wander off, okay?"

"Yes Mum."

-O-

Reinette just needed to stall him for ten minutes. This would be easy if John Smith was, per say, a normal man. But he was really something different.

Louis was easy enough to convince into this plan. They weren't really in a relationship, more like friends with benefits. And they weren't really friends. But there were definitely a lot of benefits.

-O-

"Rose, right?" It seemed as if the fairly handsome man and appeared in the parking lot out of nowhere.

"Do I know you?"

"No, I guess not, but I know about you."

"Um…how?" She had started to walk faster to get away from this mysterious man, but he kept up with her brisk pace.

"From what John's told me, of course."

She stopped walking for a split second at his name, but recovered quickly.

He continued, "I don't believe any of it though. I think you're extremely pretty, and smart, and someone as sweet as you shouldn't be judged on their past.

This caused her to stop completely. "John," she stammered, "he wouldn't say that."

-O-

"Can I go over a few notes with you? The ones Merrida-"

"Martha."

"Yes, Martha, the ones Martha left behind are a little sloppy and I thought you could fill me in."

"We just went over a couple scenes and then read it top to bottom."

"Yeah, I know," Her voice getting lower and more seductive.

"Then why, oh-um," She stalked towards him. "I really have to, a, go, Rose, y'know, Rose." He stumbled as he walked backwards out of the door. It closed, and he prayed she didn't follow. "No wonder I got the job. 2/5 people wanted to snog me. At least I hope 2, I mean, I love Rory, but I wouldn't want to be the one to break it to Amy. And-" He broke himself off, realizing he was rambling to absolutely no one. "Wonder what happened to-" John turned towards his car and saw Louis walking with Rose. "Well – that certainly can't be any good."

As he ran closer he could hear Rose yelling at Louis. "No – you listen here! I may have only known him for a short time, but I know him well enough to know he wouldn't be friends with anyone as thick-skulled as you!"

"I'm telling you the truth Rose, he called you all of those things. Why don't you just come back home with me and we could-" He never got to finish the rest of that horrid sentence because it was cut off by Rose giving him a famous Tyler slap. John was really glad he wasn't on the receiving end of it. Louis stopped after that, luckily, and John ran past him as he rubbed his reddened cheek.

He caught up to her at the car. "Hey, are you okay, what happened?"

"Nothing," she replied quietly.

"Rose Tyler, you're a horrible liar. Well, either that, or you really enjoy yelling and slapping, and if that's really the case…" He took a step backwards and she smirked.

"Are you friends with him?"

"I've only met him once. I think he's Reinette's boyfriend, but," he coughed, "that unfinished sentence might have spoken differently."

She furrowed her brow for a minute then spoke. "Do you think you could wait five minutes?"

"Why?"

"I just gotta do something. Do you mind?"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I got this," hopefully, "but if I'm not back in 10, call the cops."

She ran off after giving him a kiss on the cheek, and he tried not to worry too much.

-O-

"Can I talk to you?"

"I'm closing up and you slapped my boyfriend. No."

"I'll be quick."

Reinette hesitated. "Fine. Louis, go wait in the car. When he left, they sat in two audience seats.

"Um," Rose started, "Why do you hate me?"

"Who said I hated you?"

"Well, friends, or acquaintances even, normally don't go around kissing the other one's…" Friend? Boyfriend? "…guy, send their own boyfriend to backtalk and smooth-talk them, and aren't generally rude to the other. So…"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Okay then, I need some advice. What do I do if someone I don't recall doing anything to hates me and seems like she's plotting revenge against me but won't admit to it?"

"You didn't do anything?! You stole my part!"

"What?"

"I was supposed to be Juliet."

"You're the director. You didn't have to cast me."

"Four against one. I had no choice."

"Well, I didn't have any say in it, so getting mad at me isn't gonna help anything, is it?"

"Do you know what it's like to not get a part you really want?"

"Um, yes! This is the first play I've been in that I had more than one line, despite the….twenty something auditions I've been to." Reinette rolled her eyes. "I'm serious! Want me to name the parts I wanted but didn't get? It might take a while, but I'll do it!" Reinette didn't say anything. "Janet, Alice, Tinkerbell, Judy, Sophie-"

"Alright, alright, you win!" she conceded.

"I don't want to win. How 'bout we just start over?" Rose remembered when John tried to do the same with her and hoped it went better than that.

"How would that help any-"

"Hello, I'm Rose. Absolutely lovely to meet you, we should get lunch sometime, but right now, my ride's waiting. Sorry!"

"Rose?" She stopped walking to the door. "Thanks for giving me another chance, I'm not normally so…"

"I know. We're all only human."

-O-

"No scratches? Bruises? Bombs strapped to you?"

Rose laughed. "No, we're good now."

"How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Anytime anything comes up, you just talked to whoever caused the problem and make them love you! I seem to have the opposite effect!"

"You really do. I think it's because you're rude."

"Oi!"

"You said it! Believe it or not, I used to not like you."

"I had absolutely no idea. It was so subtle."

They got in the car and started driving.

"What time should I pick you up tomorrow? It's our big road trip day, remember?" he reminded.

She grinned broadly. "Of course I remember, I've been smiling all week. I don't know, though, how long does it take to get there?"

"How about I pick you up at eight, so we get a whole day there?"

"Sounds good to me." They got out of the car and walked up the stairs to Rose's flat. "Don't forget your script, wouldn't want Lynda to get mad at us."

"Yes, Mum," he mimicked her from earlier that day. "See you tomorrow."

"Eight AM."

He bent down to give her a chaste kiss. "I love doing that!"

"Then do it more often and give the elderly neighbors something to talk about."

"Could do."

"Could?"

"Could, will, what's the difference?"

After two...three...more goodbye kisses, they finally parted ways.

Rose woke at seven to the annoying sound of her alarm clock, but the noise couldn't have been sweeter. "I'm going to a castle!" she said aloud, excited about travelling and who she was travelling with. She got ready quickly, and awaited the arrival of John.

-O-

When John woke up at seven, he saw that Jack was already up.

"What are you doing up so early on a Saturday morning?" Jack asked him as he walked into the kitchen.

"I'm taking Rose to Belvoir, remember?"

"What are you doing there, exactly?"

"We're visiting a castle, and then I'm gonna pack a picnic."

Jack took a step back. "Are you doing….domestics?" he asked in a cheesy horror movie voice. Ever since they were young, John had hated, no, dreaded, domestics. Family dinners, (his or someone else's), staying in one place for an extremely long time (hence the travelling), and housework were all only ever done through necessity. And now here he was, putting sandwiches in plastic bags and folding a large checkered tablecloth. Jack couldn't help it any longer, he burst out laughing and John looked over at him, his brow furrowed.

"What? What's so funny?"

"You!"

"What do you mean 'me'? I'm not doing anything amusing."

"Yeah, you are! You're so different! But a good different. You're so much happier and less mopey and complainy. And domestics! Apparently you do those now!"

John rolled his eyes. "It's not domestics. It's a picnic."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell Rosie I said, 'hello'. No go pick her up!"

"I'll be early."

"She'll be waiting."

"And how do you know that?"

"I just do, now go!" John left, and Jack sighed. "Pair of lovebirds, they are."

-O-

Rose was talking to Donna, who was not happy to be woken up by her phone at seven-thirty on a Saturday morning.

"I'm just so excited!"

"Yeah, Rose, you've said that three times already," said Donna, still not properly awake. "Just snog him senseless so all of us at rehearsal don't have to sit in all of that sexual tension between you two. It's gross."

"Donna!"

"What? It's true! It's almost as bad as when you didn't like each other."

Rose's phone beeped, signaling she got a text.

"I've gotta go Donna, he's here."

"Have fun, be safe, snog him in a castle."

"Shut up, Donna." She quickly texted John she was coming then grabbed her bag and locked the door behind her. "Hello," she greeted.

"Hello," he responded as she got in the TARDIS and looked over at John. His hair was sticking up perfectly and had a smile across his face. "Excited?"

"Absolutely. You?"

"I'm just happy I'm here with you." He pulled a face. "Ugh, that was cheesy."

She laughed. "Well, I'm just happy as long as I'm with someone that has a key to Jack Harkness's house." He frowned and glared at her, and she laughed again. "Alright, alright, I'm happy as long as I'm with you too. Now let's get this show started." She leant over her seat to give him a quick kiss before putting her seatbelt on. They sat in companionable silence for a while until Rose started to talk. "Truth or dare?"

"What?"

"You heard me, truth or dare?"

"What are we, twelve?" She gave him a pointed look. "Truth."

"How long does it take you to do your hair in the morning?"

"ten, fifteen minutes tops."

"That's longer than it takes me!"

"Yeah, but look how great mine looks." He flipped his hair around and she laughed. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Um….lick your elbow."

"I don't think I can."

"Well, try."

Rose bent her head and her arm for several minutes before giving up. "Nope. Can you?"

"I don't think so. Or at least, not while I'm driving."

"Truth or dare?"

They played for a while, acting like children and forgetting their troubles for a while until they fell back into silence. They finally arrived, and Rose eagerly got out of the car as soon as it had stopped.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready." They walked hand in hand to the large stone castle that sat on the other side of a large green field. "I'm out! I'm free!" Rose shouted and let go of John's hand to run ahead in the field, spinning and jumping in circles.

John laughed and caught up and she stopped, reclaiming his hand. "Did I do well?" he said.

"You did great." She leaned into his side and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just, everything comes so naturally with you. I feel like I've known you for years, not weeks. You know? Or do I sound crazy?"

"No, I feel that way too. It's good though."

"Yeah, good."

They reached the castle and Rose looked up at the tall walls in awe.

"It's so big!"

"Belvoir Castle was rebuilt by James Wyatt in 1799, as commissioned by the 5th Duchess and the land is the ancestral home of the Manners Family, although it housed the Eleventh Duke and Duchess, along with their five children. Originally it was a stronghold in the English Civil War for the King's supporters, and was a royal manor until the first castle built here was passed down to George Manners in 1508. It is also believed that it is the starting point of afternoon tea, something the Duchess of Bedford thought convenient enough to make an established routine for it."

Rose looked at him with wide eyes. "I see you've been doing your research."

"Nah, just things I've picked up over the years." He looked at his watch. "Oh! We have tours at eleven-fifteen, we should get going."

-O-

They waited just outside the castle doors with for their tour guide with several other couples. Finally, a short man with a beard came out and introduced himself as Greg, their guide.

"And if you follow me right this way, you'll see the Elizabeth Saloon. You see this is where…"

"I'm bored," John whispered to Rose.

"That's because you already know everything."

"Well, yeah, but still. I've had enough of this schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?"

"No wonder you always run into trouble. Let's go!"

When guide and all the visitors had their backs turns studying another room, Rose and John snuck off, avoiding the few security guards. Eventually, they found stairs and crossed over the sign that said 'Wait for tour guide.'

"Are we going to get arrested for this?"

"Not if we don't get caught."

They passed several bedrooms and a couple of dining halls before finding a common room with two more people in it.

"Ah," said John, "Did you guys get bored with the tour too?"

"What? We're here for our wedding," The man leaned towards his fiance and whispered, albeit loudly, "Should we call security?"

"No no no," said John, "No need to do that. I was joking. We're here for our wedding too. Right snookums?"

"Yes honey," replied Rose, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Oh really? We were told we'd be the only couple here this weekend," said the woman.

"It was kind of short notice. We're eloping you see, but I pulled a couple strings and got us booked here." John sat down next to them on the couch, clearly making them uncomfortable. "So, Mr. and soon to be Mrs…."

"Peterson. I'm Jim and this is Lily."

"I'm Rose, and this is John." She mouthed "Sorry" over John's shoulder to Lily, and she nodded and smiled.

They talked for a while until John got bored, grabbing Rose's hand and quickly standing up. "Nice to meet you Jim and Lily, but we've got…..wedding..stuff…to do. Have a good one!"

They ran from the room too quickly to see the startled looks on the Peterson's faces.

"You do know what that sounds like, right?" asked Rose.

"What sounds like?"

"Wedding stuff…"

"Like cake testing and tablecloth…ordering…right?"

Rose laughed. "No, that would have to be done in advance."

"Well then," she waggled her eyebrows and giggled at his ignorance. "Oh, ooohhh. Uhm, this way then."

Rose laughed and shook her head, following him anyways.

-O-

"Rose."

"John."

Rose was currently being shoved up against a dining room wall, narrowly missing a large golden candle holder. John was fastened to her neck, an action that would probably end up giving her a nasty purple spot if she didn't stop him soon. She lightly tugged on his hair and reattached her lips to his. The room spun again and she felt cool glass through the shirt on her back.

"John."

"Mmm."

"Window."

They shifted again to not get caught and Rose felt a stone wall of a turret holding pushed against her. John's hands had shifted down to her hip, seemingly hesitant to move to where both parties wanted them. Finally, they moved and settled on Rose's backside, pulling her snug against him and causing Rose to moan into his mouth.

"Is someone up there?" The voice of a guard brought them out of their own world and they both hurriedly attempted to hide and right their clothes. Loud footsteps suggested that the guard had left, and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"We should probably get back to the group before it's over," said John, looking at his watch.

"If we must." Rose walked over and ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to fix the snarled mess it was now in.

John groaned. "Unless you want us to get caught, I'd highly recommend stopping." Rose blushed and pulled back.

"Sorry."

-O-

They somehow managed to make it back to the group unnoticed, and the tour was finishing up when they arrived.

"That's it for the Belvoir Castle Tour," said Greg the Guide, "but I suggest a walk through the garden, as the flowers are in full bloom this time of year.

The group split up, and Rose and John walked back to the car to get their scripts. When John pulled a picnic basket out of the backseat, Rose looked at him in surprise.

"You brought a picnic?"

"Absolutely."

"Are we eating in the gardens?"

"We'll try. I'm not sure if it's allowed or not."

"We're breaking so many rules today."

"Really? This is probably a new record for the least amount of rules broken for me."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

-O-

They made their way back to the garden and found a secluded place to set up their lunch. Most of their lunch lay forgotten on the checkered tablecloth as they explored each other's mouth for the second time today. This time though, John's hands spent no time hesitating and moved restlessly over Rose's body.

"Oi! You two! No snogging in the castle gardens!"


End file.
